Two policemen, naval personnel, 15 others held for kidnap, robbery in Kogi

Two serving policemen and a naval personnel were among 18 kidnap and armed robbery suspects paraded before newsmen on Monday by the Kogi State Police Command.

The state police Commissioner , Ali Janga, while parading the suspects in Lokoja, identified the policemen as Cpl Suleiman Isiaka and Cpl Ibrahim James while the naval personnel was Ordinary Seaman Bature Habila of the Western Naval Command.

The trio, along with three other suspects, were arrested on Oct. 5 for attempting to kidnap a five-year-old boy at Ayangba, he said.

He said that the suspects came into Kogi State in a chartered commercial bus driven by one Daniel John who is also in police custody.

Mr. Janga said that Mr. John was to be paid N100, 000 for his service.

The Commissioner said that suspects were rounded up in their hotel room at Ayangba before they could carry out the kidnap of the boy.

According to Mr. Janga, 11 rifles , including four AK-47, three pump action, four pistols, hundreds of magazines and a bus are among the items recovered from the suspects.

Speaking with newsmen, one of the policemen, Mr. Isiaka said that he, Messrs James and Habila had on Oct. 4 left Bauchi State where they were serving in “Operation Safe Haven” in Tafawa Balewa local government to come for the operation in Ayangba.

Mr. Suleiman said that he recruited Messrs. James and Habila for the business, adding that it was another suspect, Sheu Agba , that contacted him.

Also speaking Sheu Agba , 36, said that he was forced to adopt the kidnap option because he needed N10,000 urgently to treat his stomach ulcer.

Mr. Agba said that he approached his cousin, Ukubile Akowe, repeatedly for the money but he declined.

He said that he later approached Cpl Isiaka for the money who in the process introduced the idea of kidnapping to him.

Also paraded foralleged kidnapping by the police were duo of Isah Suleiman , a student of College of Education, Ankpa and Musa Mohammed , a businessman.

They were alleged to have kidnapped the Chief Imam of Enabo quarters in Ankpa and collected a ransom of N1 million from his relations.

Messrs Suleiman and Mohammed were said to have committed the offence in February this year along with two other who are now at large.

Mr. Suleiman admitted committing the offence while Mohammed said he decided to participate in the crime to recoup the N320,000 collected from him by armed robbers on Adogo -Okene Road in December last year.

Mr. Mohammed, who claimed to be a dealer in electronics in Ankpa, said that he was travelling to buy electronics when he was robbed.

Also paraded was one Omeke Amaechi, who was arrested on Ogugu – Ette Road on Sept. 30 while escaping with a snatched motorcycle.

Mr. Amaechi, who hails from Nssuka, Enugu State, was said to have, along with his senior brother Chijioke Omeke, on the fateful day snatched the motorcycle from one Yahaya Mohammed who they later killed.

Mr. Janga said that all the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded. ( NAN)